Machine for topping beets.



N0. 88?,9'75. PATENTED MAY 19, 1908.

A. R. STEVENS.

MACHINE FOR TOPPING BEETS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1a, 1908.

JNVENTOR Affomey UNITED STATEtl ALBERT REESE STEVENS, OF BELMORE, OHIO.

MACHINE TOPPING BEETS.

Specificet an of Letters Patent.

Fatented May 19, 1908-.

Application filed February 13, 1908. Serial No. 115,771.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, ALBERT Reese Ern- VENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Belmore, in the county of Putnam and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Topping Beets and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,.clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to 'make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form 9. art of thiss ecification.

This invention re ates to new and useful improvements in a paratus for topping beets and the object of t e invention is to produce a simple and efficient-apparatus of this nature which, when being drawn over the ground,

will first sever the top of a beet, loosen the root and elevate the same to be deposited in any suitable receptacle.

The invention comprises various details of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

I illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view showing the means for severing the top from the beet.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the frame of the apparatus having an elevator B, which is operated by gear connections with the driving wheels. At the forward end of the frame are mounted the plows I) spaced apart and having their forward edges beveled and adapted to loosen the beet from the ground after the top has been severed therefrom. Immediately at the rear of said plow is an elevator F up which the beets are raised to be deposited in any suitable receptacle, all of which is of ordinary construction common in apparatus of this nature. Immediately in front of the plow is the topper late, designated in the drawings by letter said plate being preferably curved as shown and provided with an o ening N, the lower marginal edge of which is formed into a cutting blade against which the top of the boot draws to sever the same as the machine passes over the ground Headed rods K pass through the bosses K upon the frame and are held by set screws K, said rods'serving to sup port the plate K. As the top of the beet is severed, it is thrown to one side and the plow loosens the beet which is raised by the elevator having fingers thereon and deposited in a receptacle provided for the re cc tion of the best.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that, by the provision of an apparatus as shown and described, a sim lo andeflicient means is afforded whereby t e tops of beets may be severed while the root of the beet is still securely held in the ground, after which the low following will loosen and uproot the eet which is caught by the fingers of'the elevator and hoisted to and deposited in a receptacle. By the provision of an apparatus as shown and described, it will be noted that the beets may be quickly harvested without the necessity of first loosening and severing the tops by manual labor, thus greatly expediting the gathering of the beets.

What I claim to be new is 1 1. An apparatus for topping beets comprising a frame, a plate depending therefrom and provided with an opening, the marginal edge of which opening forms a cutting blade designed to sever the'tops of beets as the plate is moved, as set forth.

2. An apparatus for to ping beets com prising a frame, a curve( plate depending from the frame and having an o ening.

therein, the marginal edge of which is ormed into a cutting blade, as set forth.

3. An apparatus for topping beets com prising a frame, a plate, rods secured to said plate and held by said frame, the plate havmg an opening, the marginal edge of which is formed into a cutting blade, a ii-shaped deflector upon said plate having its apex fldtl1t to the opening therein, as set forth;

n testimony whereof I- hereunto affixsmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses. ALBERT REESE STEVENS. Witnesses GEO. C. WALTEMIRE,

Geo. DULL. 

